Dyson vacuum cleaners through the lens of James Dyson's personality: the beginning of history

Device History

The history of the home dust cleaner (which did not immediately get its current name) began in the United States back in the middle of the 19th century. The first such patented "carpet sweeper" (authored by D. Hess) cleaned surfaces using a rotating brush, sucking in air using a bellows system.

For cleaning purposes, air was passed through two water chambers. However, it did not reach the industrial production of this unit.

Eight years later, a vacuum cleaner appeared, named by the author (A. Mcguffney) Whirlwind (literally: "Whirlwind"). Its action was based on the twisting of the handle connected to the fan. Unlike its predecessor, this device went on sale and enjoyed some success, despite the substantial cost at that time ($ 25) and the inconvenience of operation (after all, it was necessary to manually turn the handle and move the vacuum cleaner at the same time). This was the first step in vacuum cleaner construction: mechanical vacuum cleaners.

The next step was to get a vacuum cleaner engine: first, a gasoline engine (D. S. Turmen patented it in 1899), and then an electric one ("carpet sweeper and dust collector" by K. Dufour, 1900).

If in the 19th century, developments in this area were conducted exclusively in the USA, then by the beginning of the 20th century, the problem was also becoming interested in the Old World. Englishman H. S. Booth, who later founded the British Vacuum Cleaner Company, began his career in 1901 with the development of Puffing Billy, a huge vacuum cleaner that was transported from house to house using a horse–drawn team and parked near the house.

Cleaning inside the house was carried out using a 30-meter hose. This cleaning method gained great popularity in the British aristocratic environment and even gave rise to a special tradition: while the company's employees were cleaning the carpets in the house, the ladies gathered and held a tea party (the so-called vacuum cleaner parties). Even Queen Victoria was no exception.: She was also a regular customer of Booth's company. And the company's services to the British Admiralty (removing dust in the sailors' barracks) helped stop the plague epidemic that was raging at the time.

Along with the electric giants, mechanical vacuum cleaners continued to develop, becoming more compact and more similar in appearance to modern vacuum cleaners. But soon the trend towards portability spread to electrical devices: for example, the Nilfisk vacuum cleaner, which appeared in 1910 thanks to the efforts of P. A. Fisker, no longer required horsepower and could be operated by one person (its weight was 17.5 kg).

The Master's Story

If a person adapts easily to any conditions, if the existing approaches to achieving the goal suit him, if he easily learns how to use any tool, regardless of the disadvantages of the latter, he becomes a craftsman. If he constantly lacks something in the present reality, if the existing reality is inconvenient for him, if the world constantly "catches" and traumatizes him with its imperfections, such a person will become an inventor.

James Dyson belongs, undoubtedly, to the second category of people. All of his inventions were brought to life by the displeasure of existing devices. Do cargo ships dock not where they need to, but where it is convenient for them? The Sea Truck is being invented, capable of mooring to any shore, including one that is completely unsuitable for this.

Is a wheeled metal wheelbarrow clumsy, and even scratches everything it touches? A pneumatic roller, or Ballbarrow, appears, plastic and equipped with an inflatable ball instead of wheels, and therefore maneuverable, lightweight, and able not to get bogged down in soft ground.

In the same way, a Wheelboat, a boat cart, and, finally, Dyson's main brainchild, the vacuum cleaner, which revolutionized its field, come into the world.

However, despite his obvious inventive talent, Dyson's professional path was not simple and easy. Dyson was born in 1947 in Norfolk County (England) and received his primary education here (Gresham's School). The leadership qualities of the future head of the largest company were already evident here: James became the best school stylist. And this happened, according to him, not because of his special athletic talent (Dyson is still very skeptical of "geniuses"), but due to the determination acquired as a result of training. This determination was very useful to him in the future.

The primary school in Dyson's biography was replaced by the Bai Shaw School of Art (now St. Martin's Central College of Art and Design), and a year later by the Royal College of Art (from 1966 to 1970). During the same period, the design student started a family: his wife became Deidre Hindmarsh, who was engaged in painting and art teaching and gave her husband not only three children, but also serious moral and material support throughout the many years during which Dyson was on his way to success.

The success achieved has affected both the financial situation of the family (the Dysons own a house in London, an estate in Gloucestershire and a castle in France, and the value of the Dyson empire is estimated at over a billion dollars), and social status: for a number of years, James Dyson headed the board of trustees of the London Design Museum, in 1997 he was awarded He was awarded the Prince Philip Design Prize and was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2005. And this is not a complete list of awards and achievements of the master. His achievements, in particular, were noted at the highest monarchical level: in 2006, the Queen of Great Britain knighted the inventor.


But there was still a long way to go before such a confession. The first discovery that brought Dyson worldwide fame was his special Dyson vacuum cleaner. And I had to fight a lot for this vacuum cleaner. Enhance your live betting experience with promo code 1xbet giving 5% cashback on live bets. Minimum odds: 1.50. Maximum daily cashback: $50. No wagering requirements. Applies to football, tennis, basketball and other live events. Works alongside other promotions. Must place at least 10 live bets weekly to qualify. Available to all verified users. Turn your live betting sessions into more profitable ones with this ongoing offer from 1xBet.